In an era where online shopping is the norm and consumers are always on the move, selling supplements online is a smart business move. This post covers the essentials—from ensuring regulatory compliance to leveraging the best e-commerce platforms and marketing your products effectively.
We go through the key steps of setting up a supplement business in one of our previous blog posts, including market research and optimizing your products. Check out our guide on starting a supplement company for more details.
Ensure regulatory compliance
First things first, let’s get familiar with regulatory requirements. This is not as exciting as the following sections, but compliance while selling supplements online is crucial to avoid getting into trouble and build customer trust. Here is a brief overview of the most important information:
European Union (EU)
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) supervises the safety of dietary supplements in the EU. Here are the key considerations if you plan to sell your products in any of the member states:
- Only use approved ingredients listed in the EU Register on nutrition and health claims.
- Your product labelling must comply with Directive 2002/46/EC and include details such as ingredients, nutritional information, and health claims. Labels must be in the official language(s) of the countries where you sell your product.
- Health claims fall under Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 and must be approved by EFSA.
- Each EU member state may have additional specific regulations, so ensure you are familiar with them before selling.
United States (US)
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates dietary supplements under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA). Here’s what you can do to ensure regulatory compliance:
- Supplements must comply with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) regulations (21 CFR Part 111) ensuring quality and consistency.
- Include a Supplement Facts panel, list of ingredients, serving size, amount per serving, and percent of Daily Value.
- Only make claims that are substantiated and not misleading. Claims must be approved by the FDA or carry a disclaimer.
- Submit a pre-market notification to the FDA if your supplement contains a new dietary ingredient (NDI).
- Advertising practices are controlled by The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) which ensures that claims are truthful and not misleading.
Be aware of and comply with regulations specific to each country you sell in. This may include additional requirements for ingredients, testing, and labelling.
Craft a professional website
When selling supplements online, having a well-designed, user-friendly, and optimised website where you present your product portfolio is crucial, especially if you’re starting. Here are the key aspects to focus on:
Professional design
Ensure the website is easy to navigate with a clean, professional design. Prioritise user experience (UX) to make it easy for customers to find products and information. Make sure your website is mobile-friendly and works well on all devices (smartphones, tablets, desktops).
Product presentation
Include high-resolution images of the packaging and supplements, such as collagen or vitamins and minerals. Provide comprehensive product descriptions, including benefits, ingredients, dosage instructions, and any relevant certifications or third-party test results. Display the supplement facts, similar to what’s on the product label.
SEO optimization
Identify and use relevant keywords in your product descriptions, blog posts, and other website content to improve search engine rankings. Optimise meta titles, descriptions, and headers for search engines. Regularly publish valuable content such as blog posts and guides related to health and wellness that can attract organic traffic.
Security
Secure your website with an SSL certificate to protect customer data and build trust. Use secure payment gateways like PayPal, Stripe, or Square to process transactions safely. Ensure compliance with GDPR if you are operating in the EU or handling data from EU citizens. Implement clear data protection and privacy policies.
Checkout process
Simplify the checkout process with minimal steps and clear instructions. Offer guest checkout options to avoid mandatory account creation. Provide a variety of payment methods to cater to different customer preferences. Offer clear and flexible shipping options, including free shipping thresholds and expedited shipping.
Make sure your website is mobile friendly to keep your customers happy.
Choose the right platform for your supplement brand
When you have a website to showcase your products, you also need a place to sell your products online. There are many platforms you can use, so let’s dive into the advantages and features of the best of them:
Shopify
If you’re looking for an easy-to-use, all-in-one solution to start selling supplements online quickly, Shopify is a good choice. That’s also the case if you want to build and maintain your own online store with full control over branding and customer experience. It’s scalable, so growing your business from a small startup to a large enterprise is seamless. Shopify integrates with various tools and platforms, including social media, email marketing, and shipping solutions.
Amazon
The main benefit of Amazon is its massive audience, which opens the door to millions of potential consumers globally. It is a trusted platform, which can help you gain credibility quickly. This is useful if your brand is new on the market. It also offers the Fulfilment by Amazon program where the company handles storage, packaging, shipping, and customer service for your products, allowing you to focus on other aspects of your business.
eBay
Like Amazon, eBay offers access to a global audience with millions of active buyers. It’s easy to set up and start selling quickly. If your product range includes unique or niche supplements that may appeal to eBay’s diverse audience, this platform might be a good option. You also can sell products via auctions or at a fixed price.
iHerb
This platform specialises in health supplements, vitamins, and natural products. It means you get access to an established customer base specifically looking for these products. With shipping to over 150 countries and localised websites for various regions, your brand can target international customers. Not to mention that iHerb is a known and trusted platform in the health and wellness industry.
Don’t forget about marketing
You have great products, a professional website, and a platform where customers can buy your products. Now it’s time to leverage social media and Google Ads to enhance your reach and sales. Here are key points to consider, along with specific guidelines and restrictions related to promoting dietary supplements:
General marketing tips
Understanding your target market, their needs, preferences, and where they spend their time online is a great starting point. Create a consistent brand identity across all platforms, including a compelling story, professional visuals, and a unique value proposition.
Invest in high-quality content that educates, informs, and engages your audience. Ensure all marketing claims are truthful and substantiated (more on this in the regulatory compliance section above). Collaborate with influencers in the health and wellness space to build credibility and reach a broader audience.
Only use health claims permitted by the law in your marketing campaigns.
On this platform, you want to focus on high-quality images and videos that showcase your products, customer testimonials, and educational content about health and wellness.
Share behind-the-scenes content, product demonstrations, and engaging short videos in Instagram Stories and Reels. Use relevant hashtags to increase visibility and reach. Partner with health and fitness influencers who can promote your supplements authentically to their followers.
Create targeted ad campaigns using Facebook Ads Manager. Use detailed targeting options to reach specific demographics, interests, and behaviours. Post different content types, including educational articles, customer reviews, product updates, and promotional offers.
Join or create Facebook groups related to health and wellness to engage with potential customers and share valuable content. Host Facebook Live sessions for Q&A, product launches, or health tips to interact with your audience in real time.
Restrictions and guidelines for Instagram and Facebook
- Avoid making unverified health claims about your supplements or make promises of miraculous effects that happen overnight. All claims must be substantiated with scientific evidence.
- Some ads may be restricted or disapproved if they mention certain conditions, such as weight loss or treating specific health issues.
- Disclose any paid partnerships with influencers to maintain transparency with your audience.
TikTok
This is a perfect platform for your brand if your target audience includes Gen Z and Millenials, as most of its users are under the age of 35, according to data by Statista. Try creating short-form videos that showcase your products, share customer testimonials, or provide health tips.
You can also participate in popular trends and challenges to increase visibility and engagement – if they align with your brand. Partnering with TikTok influencers to create authentic content that resonates with their followers can be a valuable marketing initiative as well.
Restrictions and guidelines
- Ensure your content complies with age restrictions and does not target underage users.
- As with other platforms, avoid unverified health claims and ensure all statements are backed by evidence.
- Follow TikTok’s advertising policies and community guidelines to avoid content removal or account suspension.
Google Ads
Conduct thorough keyword research to identify relevant search terms your potential customers are using. Create targeted search ads to appear in Google search results when users search for related keywords.
Use display ads to reach potential customers on other websites, using visual banners to attract attention. Implement remarketing campaigns to target users who have visited your website but didn’t make a purchase, encouraging them to return and complete the transaction.
Restrictions and guidelines
- Google has strict policies for ads related to health and medicine. Ensure your ads comply with these policies to avoid disapproval.
- Avoid making false or misleading claims about the effectiveness of your supplements.
- Be prepared for an approval process that may require you to provide evidence supporting any health claims made in your ads.
Do you want to learn more about marketing for your dietary supplements? Dive into our blog post on 6 marketing strategies with actionable tips.
To sum it up
Understanding regulatory requirements is crucial to avoid legal issues and build customer trust. A well-designed, user-friendly, and optimised website is key to an effective presentation of your product portfolio. Focus on professional design, product presentation, SEO optimization, security, and a smooth checkout process.
Selecting the right platform is vital for showcasing and selling your products online. Shopify, Amazon, eBay, and iHerb are good choices. Finally, effective marketing is essential for reaching and engaging your target audience. Leverage Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Google Ads while adhering to specific guidelines and restrictions related to promoting dietary supplements.
At GreenPharm, we help startups and established brands to find the best products for their customers. We take care of the development as well as manufacturing and deliver ready-to-sell products to them. Feel free to contact us for more information. You can also find other useful guides and articles on our blog.